Herbs & Spices

The keys to this fast, simple dish, which was inspired by a crab-stuffed tomato at Yves Camdeborde's Paris brasserie, Le Comptoir du Relais, are ripe tomatoes, fresh herbs, and excellent crabmeat.

Ginger and cilantro add Southeast Asian oomph to this French-style butter sauce, which lightly coats big, meaty shrimp.

Traditionally used to season pâtés and terrines, this French spice mixture also adds an earthy depth to the duck confit.

Evocative of cassoulet but so much easier, this bean soup manages to be both rugged and elegant. No part of the confit duck legs goes to waste: The bones add savor to the beans, the meat goes into the soup, and the crisped skin makes a delectable garnish. Flambéing the Armagnac before adding it to the pot takes the edge off the alcohol while leaving behind the deep flavor of the barrel.

In this unusual side dish from Spring restaurant, often under appreciated parsley gets the creamed-spinach treatment—and a little help from aromatic orange zest, mint, and fresh ginger.

At Café Panique, in the 10th arrondissement, Chef Guyader uses smoked haddock, but we've substituted richer smoked sable, which is more readily available in the United States. As simple as classic melon and prosciutto, this sweet and salty combo is made even more magical by a harmonizing ginger emulsion.

Fresh fennel, rosemary, and crème fraîche give mashed potatoes added appeal.

Quickly candied grapefruit peel adds a fresh zing.

Use a mix of the best wild mushrooms available. They elevate the stuffing from simple to sensational.

Carena brings an almost Moroccan sensibility to this delicious play of sweet and savory, from the crisp-tender fennel to the orange essences and underlying traces of saffron and raisins.

Looking for a classic turkey with some added depth of flavor? This is the one for you. The meat tastes of sage, rosemary, and thyme.

This classic stuffing (or any of the stuffings here) is also good made with six cups of cubed cornbread in place of six cups of the pain rustique.

This comes off as a classic panna cotta, but agar—a thickener made from seaweed—gives it a light mouthfeel; it dissolves on the tongue almost instantly. Slices of mango in citrus syrup enliven the flavors.

In an intriguing play on the combination of chocolate and chiles, this rich mousse gets its faint tingle from Sichuan peppercorns.

Much more interesting than plain mashed potatoes, this purée gets an earthy boost from celery root and chervil and an amazing smoothness and richness from a generous amount of cream.

The traditional crostini topping is a soft pâté, but the wild mushrooms with truffle oil served by chef Julian Marucci at Baltimore's Cinghiale are just as indulgent.

Texture and flavor contrasts make for an addictive side dish or starter.

You can find cornichons (tiny pickles) at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.